Chocolate Lava Cakes with Vanilla Ice Cream (Print View)
Rich, molten chocolate centers paired with creamy vanilla ice cream for the ultimate indulgent dessert experience.
# What You'll Need:
→ For the Lava Cakes
01 - 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
02 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
03 - 2 large eggs
04 - 2 large egg yolks
05 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
07 - 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
08 - 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
→ For Serving
09 - 4 scoops high-quality vanilla ice cream
10 - Cocoa powder or powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)
11 - Fresh berries or mint leaves (optional)
# Method:
01 - Preheat the oven to 425°F. Grease four 6-ounce ramekins with butter and dust lightly with cocoa powder or flour; tap out excess.
02 - In a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water or using a microwave in 20-second bursts, melt the chocolate and butter together. Stir until smooth and let cool slightly.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, and sugar until pale and slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.
04 - Whisk the melted chocolate mixture and vanilla extract into the egg mixture until combined.
05 - Fold in the flour and salt just until no streaks remain—do not overmix.
06 - Divide the batter evenly among the prepared ramekins.
07 - Place ramekins on a baking sheet and bake for 10–12 minutes, until the edges are set but the centers are still soft. The tops should look puffed and firm.
08 - Let rest for 1 minute, then run a knife around the edges and carefully invert each cake onto a serving plate. Serve immediately with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Dust with cocoa powder or powdered sugar and garnish with berries or mint, if desired.
# Insider Tips:
01 -
- The contrast between hot, flowing chocolate and cold, creamy vanilla ice cream is the kind of dessert magic that makes people close their eyes and moan
- These look impressively fancy but come together in under 30 minutes, making you look like a pastry chef with barely any effort
02 -
- Overbaking by even one minute means losing that glorious molten center, so set a timer and check at 10 minutes
- The cakes continue cooking after leaving the oven, so pulling them when centers look slightly underdone is actually correct
03 -
- Room temperature eggs incorporate better into the batter, so take them out about 20 minutes before starting
- The ramekins will be hot, so use oven mitts when handling them out of the oven